Elastic fabric and method of making the same



Nov. 19, 1946. WAGLER 2,411,175

ELASTIC FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Aug. 22, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l I fgi.

2 f n s 3 4 /3 gwi y Nov; 19, 1946. A. L. WAGLER 2,411,175

ELASTIC FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Aug. 22, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 HVVENTOR.

Nov. 19, 1946. A. L. WAGLER ELASTIC FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKINGTHE SAME 3 Sheet-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 22, 1939 Mia-1" now,

Smnntor JZL/Z r a cute v Patented Nov. 19,1946

ELASTIC FABRIC AND METHOD or MAKING THE SAME Alfred ,L. Y Wagler, North Hills, Pa.; Antonio Wagler, executrix'of said Alfred L. Wagler, deceased, assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to William F. Geibel, Philadelphia, Pa.

, Application August 22, 1939, Serial No. 291,285

My inventionis a novel method of warp knit ting fabric containing elastic threads and inelastic yarns, so thatasingle set of elastic warp threads will impart to the fabric maximum stretch transversely ofthe elastic threads as well as longitudinally thereof over at least a portion of the fabric area, and the products resulting from such method. a l r r 3 My method further permits the incorporation, in portions of the fabricyofinelastic yarns preventing two-way stretch of such portions of the fabric but permitting one-way stretch thereof equal to the stretch in that direction of the twoway stretch portion of the fabric.

\ My new fabrics are particularly adapted for use as elastic single rplyzwelts for silk hosiery; such welts being connected with the stocking leg above the knee and absorbing the stresses resultin from knee-bending when the welt has supporter clasps connected therewith; such connections being preferably with one-Way stretch portions of the fabric. r

-The method of .my invention is practiced on'a warpknitting machine ofthe Raschel type having a single row or bank of latched needles or bearded needles movable en masse alternately up-and down, viz., rectilineally of the needles; aplurality of thread or yarn carrying eye needle bars which may be individually shogged endwise. viz., shifted rectilineally relatively to one another and to the row of needles, by means of suitable pattern chains or cams, and either in front of or in back of such row; the bars being swung as a group transversely to the row of needles so'as tomove the'yarns and threads carried thereby from the 'front or plain side of the needles to the back or hooked side thereof, and vice versa; and yarn let-off and fabric take-up mechanism which maybeijso adjusted asto' hold the knitted chains and rubber threads stretched taut during and immediately after knitting.

To. differentiate between substantially non-,

herein designated yarns primarilycomposed of and having the inelasticcharacteristics of. the

former materials as. inelastic yarns}? and have herein designatedyarnsprimarily composed of and having the characteristic stretchof thevlate ter materials as elastic threadsfflincluding in the latter designation, however, cut or extruded elastic f laments wrapped "jwith'gcotton or silk,

preferably 23 claims. (01. 66-193) some of which are marketed under the name lastex. l

In accordance with my invention, a fabric hav-: ing a two-way stretch may be made by using only two bars. One bar has its eyes threaded with in-' elastic yarns and is moved endwise while! the bar is in back ofthe row of needles, the bar being moved a distance sufiicient, to moveeach yarn carried thereby from one sidefltothe other of a corresponding needle so that, the yarns arepresented to the hooks of such needle to form a, se-,

ries of parallel warp chains. The other 'bar has its eyes threaded with stretched elastic thread, under tension, and is moved "endwise ,Whenthe bars are in front of the row ofneedles; suchbar being sometimes moved a distance sufficient to move each thread carried thereby from one side to the other of a needle, to effect looselooping of the thread in the chain formed by such needle, and sometimes moved a distance sufficient to move each thread carried, thereby past and" in back of one or more adjacent needles, to 'efiectj the loose looping 'of-the'threadin spaced chains, which are secured together by sucht hreads only. The threads are so laid in thetwo-way stretch fabric that adjacentthreads contract in straight.

parallel lines whenthe tension isjrel'eased,

Each'presentationjofthe inelastic yarns to the; needle" hooks which results from each ,endwise movement of the barfirst'referred to" is followed by a rectilineal orfknittingifmovement of the needles en masse. This results in the formation,

from the inelastic yarn, of a series of parallel in dividual chains, each' chain being composed of needle DS andof, floats ortails each paralleling,

the leg of a needle loop and connecting the ter minus thereof ,With the beginningof 'thaniit I termini of the needle loops of the first oourselfwith the. beginning of the needle loops of 'thesecond course. The stretched elastic threads fo rm slip needlevloops, 1 ,The extentof such movement-will determine whether the elastic threads will be caught, during the subsequent needle 100p formation,'in a float of the same chain or of a different chain.

The points of connection between each stretched elastic thread and any given chain are so spaced alon such chain that when the tension on the elastic threads is relaxed and the elastic threads become slack, the chains will be so bent as to form openings between them and form an openwork fabric. In the fabric as knitted or stretched to its maximum, each elastic thread zigzags from one chain to another and back to the first, and the elastic threads lie parallel to one another so that each elastic thread has op.- pos'itely projecting apexes connected with spaced chains and there is a space in each chain between the points of connection of the different elastic threads therewith.

When the fabric is slack and flat, the rows of straightened elastic thread lie parallel, to one another and distort the chains to form open spaces between the elastic threads, and the points of connection of an elastic thread with the chain on one side thereof are staggered with respect to the points of connection of such elastic thread with the chain on the opposite side thereof.

1 When it is desired to provide a fabric having a list or border section with straight rows of elastic threads parallel with an edge, a further endwise movable bar,. referably located between the bars above referred to, may be threaded with elastic thread under tension slightly greater than the tension of the elastic threads above described,

and this third name-d bar is moved back and forth I in front of the needles forming the first few sinuously back and forth across its chain during knitting and when the chain is stretched to the 1 maximum extent, but such thread retracts to form a straight thread which crimps the chain when tension on the elastic thread is'relaxed. The. spaced chains and elastic threads of the list permit the, topping on to the fabric of yarn for knitting a weft knit "stocking leg or permit my improved fabric to be sewed to a weft knit stocking leg by multiple rows of sewing machine stitches.

If desired, certain of the chains comprising my fabric may be secured together by inelastic yarns zigzagging from one chain to another by providing a foi rth bar behind the bar second described and threading inelastic yarn in certain eyes thereof. Such bar is moved endwise when the bars are in front of the needles so that these inelastic yarns are looped under the floats or'tails of consecutive.

courses of adjacent chains so as to prevent lateral stretch between such chains while permitting lengthwise stretchthereof.

taryvliew of afew of the wales and courses of the fabric of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of; el-laterally, stretched section of the fabric shown in Fig.1; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional View illustratin the knitting of the lowermost repeat" of the fabric shown in,Fig.-3 and approximately indicated in Fig. 3 by the fabric section embraced between the lines x-:n, the fabric in Fig. 4 being longitudinally tautened to its maximum stretch and the yarns and threads occupying the relations occupied thereby during the knitting theref ns ead o hc n latera ly. di tort d in i 3; Fig 5 is a sectioned diagrammatic view illusfullsized plan view of a section of the fabric illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 attached to the top of a weft knitted stocking; Fig. 8 is a slightly enlarged plan view of the lower portion of the fabric embodying my invention shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a slightly enlarged inverted section of the fabric embodying my invention shown in Fig. 7 stretched longitudinally and laterally; and Fig. 10 is an elevation of a stocking provided with a, weltformed of the fabric shown in Fig. '7.

In Fig. 4 of the drawin s, there is diagrammatically indicated the yarn carrier bars A, B, C and D of'a Raschel warp knitting machine, the bar being provided with spaced eyelets through which are threaded the'yarns and threads to be warp knitted into a fabric in accordance with my invention by means of hooked needles, of which a portion only are indicated numbered Ito 5, inclusive, l2 to IT, inclusive, and 33 to 35, inclu sive; the intervening needles, and the fabric portions formed thereby shown in Figs. 1 and 2, being omitted in Fig. 4. r

The bars A, B, C and D are mounted in a usual frame which swings back and forth over thetops of the needles I to 35 in-the usual manner. The bar- A may be shifted endwise in either direction while the bars are at the back of the bank of needles adjacent the hooks thereof so as to present the yarns a to a carried thereby to the hooks of the respective needles. The bars B, C and D may be shifted endwise in either direction when the bars arein front of the needles, so that the threads and'yarns carried thereby are not ordinarily presented to the hooks of the needles. The bar frame may be swung back and forth across the topof the row of needles, the bars may be individually moved endwise in the different positions of the frame, and the tension on the yarns the leftwardmost-yarn or thread carried by sueh bar, Will be her in-i dic t d b s m o s L and III. When a bar is in the position 0 its leftwardmost yarn or thread lies in its leftward- ,most position and to the left of the datum needle for such bar; whena bar is in the position I its leftwardmost yarn or thread lies to theright of the datum needle for such'bar but to the left of. the second needle; when a' bar is in the position II its leftwardmost yarn or thread is to the right of the second needle but to the left of the third needle; and when a bar-is in position III its leftwardmost yarn or threadis to the right'of the 'thirdneedle. It will, of course, be'understood hat the o er. yarns'orth e s connected W h the es tive barsfo u s c r t on to t needle complementary thereto as the leftward-:

rmost yarn or thread bears to the datum needles in 75 the respective positions.

A series of inelastic yarns, such as silk, are fed from individual spools through suitable tensions, not shown, through the eyes of the bar A, and are sometimes herein referred to as A-bar yarns. The number of A-bar yarns employed will depend upon the width and density of the fabric desired, and for purposes of'illustration I have shown thirtyfive such yarns, from a to 0. typical examples of which are shown in Fig. 4. Each eye of the bar A is complementary to a needle, and the A-bar yarns may be fed through every A-bar eye so that every needle knits a chain, or may be fed through every other eye so that alternate needles are idle, or the yarns may be fed through every eye for a part of the width of the fabric and through every other eye for the remaining width of the fabric. In the example shown, the A-bar yarns are fed through every A-bar eye, and where the A-bar yarns are otherwise spaced the threading of the yarns and threads through the remaining bars are varied correspondingly.

- A series of elastic threads, such as fine cut or extruded rubber strands wrapped with covering yarns throughout their lengths so as not to impair their stretchiness, are fed from individual spools through suitable tensions, not shown, through the eyes of the bar B and are sometimes herein referred to as B-bar threads. The number of B-bar threads employed will depend upon the desired width of the topping on or sewing selvage. For the purpose of illustration I have shown in this example three such yarns from b to b all of which are shown in Fig. 4.

A series of elastic threads, similar to the B-bar threads, are fed from individual spools through suitable tensions, not shown, through the eyes of the bar C, and are sometimes herein referred to as C-bar threads. The numberof C-bar threads will depend upon the desired width of the fabric beyond the topping on or sewing selvage and particularly upon the desired width of the twoway stretch portion of the fabric. For the purpose of illustration I have shown thirty-two such yarns numbered from c to 0 inclusive, typical examples of which are shown in Fig. 4.

A series of inelastic yarns, such as cotton or silk, are fed from individual spools through suitable tensions, not shown, through the eyes of the bar D and are sometimes herein referred to as D-bar yarns. The number of D-bar yarns employed will depend upon the width of the fabric sections which it is desired to render stretchable in one direction only. For the purposes of illustration I have shown two such yarns for preventing lateral stretch of the first three chains and numbered d and (Z and have shown twenty additional such yarns numbered from d to 01 inclusive, for preventing lateral stretch between the chains formed by yarns a, to e inclusive. The group of D-bar eyes through which the yarns c1 to d are threaded are spaced some distance from the D-bar eyes through which the yarns d and d are threaded.

As the fabric is knitted, it is gripped between draw-off rolls which maintain constant tension thereon so that the tensions on the various yarns and threads may be controlled by their respective tensions.

The cycle of operations involved in the fabrication of the fabric shown in Figs. 1 to 4 involves a repeat of twelve courses.

Following the completion of the course 2, forming the end of one repeat, the bar frame was, swung toward the back of the needle bank, with the bars A, B and C in their position I and the barD in the position II. Oh the completion of the backward swing, the bar A was shifted endwise to its position 0, thereby presenting the respective yarns a to ct to the hooks of the respective needles I to 35 and the bar frame was then swung toward the front of the needle bank.

During this forward swing of the bar frame, the bar A occupied position B, the bars B and C occupied position I, the bar D occupied the position II, and the needles descended to knit the hooked sections of the bar-A yarns through the loops of course H2 to form the needle loops of course I I3. During this knitting movement, and while the bar frame was in front of the needles, the bars B, C and D were each shifted to position 0. Consequently, on the next swing backward of the bar frame the bar A yarns were bent over bar B threads, bar C threads and bar D yarns in the paths thereof respectively. For example, the yarn a was bent over the thread 12 and yarn (P; the yarn a was bent over the thread b and the yarn d the yarn a was bent over thethreads b and 0 the yarns a to a. inclusive were bent over the threads 0 to e inclusive; the yarn (1. 5 was bent over the thread 0 and yarn d; the yarn a was bent over the thread 0, and yarns d and d"; and so on to the last wale or chain where the yarn a was bent over the yarn d.

When the bar frame reached its rear position, the bar A was shifted from position 0 to position I to present to the needle hooks the yarns a to (1 to permit the formation of the needle loop-s of the course I I4 by the next descent of the needles. The beginnings of the needle loops of course I I 4 are connected with the termini of the needle loops of course '3 by the floats. or tails which were bent over B, .C and D bar yarns as above described, the B, C and D bar yarns being bound in by the floats when the needle loops of course I I4 were knit through the needle loops of course II3.

During the knitting of the needle loops of course H4 and while the bar frame is in front of the needles, the bars B and C were moved from position 0 to position I and the bar D was moved from position 0 to position II. Upon the completion of the knitting of the needle loops of course I I4, the bar frame was again swung back ward carrying A-bar yarns over the threads and yarns which had been shifted by the Ioars B, C and D so that, for example, the yarn a was bent over the thread 21 and yarn ti the yarn a was bent over the thread 12 and the yarns d and d the yarn a was bent over the thread b thread 0 and yarn 11 the yarns a to 42 were bent over the threads 0 to 0 the yarn (1 was bent over the thread 0 and yarn (Z the yarn a was bent over the thread 0 and the yarns (Z and (1 and so on to the yarn a which was bent over the yarn (1 When the bar frame reached the back of the needles the bar A was shifted from position I to position I] so as to present to the needle hooks the yarns a to n for knitting the needle loops of the course I I5. While these needle loops of the course I I5 were being knitted and the bar frame was in front of the needles, the bar B was shifted from position I to position 0. The bar C was shifted from position I to position 0, and the bar D was shifted from position II to position 6. Consequently, when the bar frame was again swung backward, the yarns a to a were bent over the same yarns and threads respectively that they were after the knitting of course 3.

After this backward swing of the bar frame, the bar A was shifted from position 9 to position I to present to the hooks of the needles the yarns a l to for knitting the needle loops of course IIG. During the knitting of the needle loops of course H6 and while the bar frame was in front of the needles, the bars B, C and D were shifted as they were after the formation of the needle loops of course H4 and on the neXt backward swing of the bar frame the yarns a to n were bent over the same yarns and threads respectively as they were on the backward swing following the formation of the needle loops of the course I14.

After this backward swing of the bar frame, the bar A was shifted from position I to position 0 to present to the hooks of the needles the yarns a to (1, to form the needle loops of course Ill, and while these loops are being knitted and while the bar frame is in front of the needles, the bars B, C and D are shifted as they were during the knitting of the needle loops of course I I5, and on the backward swing of the bar frame the yarns a to 11 were looped over the same yarns and threads respectively as they were on the backward swing after the knitting of the needle loops of course I I5.

After this backward swing of the bar frame, the bar A was-shifted from position E! to position I to present to the needle hooks the yarns a to 11 for knitting'the needle loops of course I I8, and during the knitting of these loops and while thebar frame was in front of the needles, the bars B, C and D were shifted as tliey'were after the knitting of course H6 so that, on the next backward swing of the bar frame, the yarns to (1 were looped over the same threads and yarns as they were by the backward swing following the knitting of the needle loops of course IIB.

After this backward swing of the bar frame, the bar A was shifted from position I to position 0 to present to the needle hooks the yarns a to e for the knitting of the needle loops of course H9. During the knitting of the needle loops of course I I9, and while the bar frame was in front of the needles, the bars B and D were shifted as they were during the knitting of the needle loops of course Ill but the bar C was shifted from position I to position 11. Consequently, on the next backward swing of the bar frame, the bar-A yarns are looped over the same bar B threads and bar D yarns that they were on the backward movement following the knitting of the needle loops of course II'I, but the bar C threads 0 to e have looped thereover yarns a to 11 respectively, so that these bar C threads make slip loops with chains to the right of the chains in which they had been slip looped during the preceding six courses, as above described.

After this backward swing of the bar frame, the bar A was shifted from position 0 to position I to present the yarns a to a to the hooks of the respective needlesto form the needle loops of course I26. During the knitting of such needle loops and while the bar frame was in front of the needles, the bars B and D were shifted as they were during the knitting of course H8, and bar C was shifted from position 11 to position I. On the next backward swing of the bar frame, the yarns a to a are respectively looped over the same bar B threads and bar D yarns as they were on the backward swing following the knitting of the needle loops of course H8 but are looped over the same bar C threads respectively as they were on the backward swing followin the knitting of the, needle loops of course H9. Thus the threads 0 to 0 are bent backcand forth through the floats of the chains formed by the yarns a to (1 respectively.

After such backward swing of the barframe, the bar A is shifted fromposition I to position 6 to present to the hooks of the needles the yarns a to n to form the needle loops of course I25. During the knitting of the needle loops of this course, and while the bar frame is in front of the needles, the bars B, C and D are shifted as they were during the knitting of course H9 and on the next backward swing of the bar frame the yarns a to a are bent over the same threads and yarns that they were bent over respectively on the backward swing of the bar frame following the knitting of the needle loops of course I I 9. After such backward swing of the bar frame, the bar A is shifted from position 0 to position I to present to the needle hooks the yarns a to a for knitting the needle loops of course I22. During the knitting of these needle loops and while the bar frame is in front of the needles, the bars B, C and D are shifted as they were during the knitting of course I26, and on the next backward swing of the bar frame the yarns a to a are bent over the same threads and yarns that they were on the backward swing following the knitting of the needle loops of course I20.

After such backward swing of the bar frame, the bar A is moved from position I to position 0 to present to the needle books the yarns a to e to form the needle loops of course I23. During th knitting of these needle loops and while the bar frame is in front of the needles,

the bars B, C and D are shifted as they were during the knitting of course I2! and upon the next backward movement of the bar frame the yarns a to e are bent over the same threads and yarns that they were during the backward swing following the knitting of the needle loops of course I2 I.

After such backward movement of the bar frame, the bar A is shifted from position 0 to position I to present to the hooks of the needles the yarns a to 4 for forming the needle loops of course I25. During the knitting of the needle loops of course I24 the bars B, C and D are shifted to the positions shown, and which they occupied during the backward swing following the knitting of the needle loops of course I22, so that on the backward swing of the bar frame the yarns a to (1 were looped over the same threads and yarns respectively as they were on the backward swing following the knitting of the needle loops of course I22.

Course I24 corresponds to course H2, and following the completion of course I24 the bars are all shifted to their 0 positions and the sequence is repeated for an indefinite length.

When the fabric so formed is relieved of tension it contracts to form the fabric shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In such fabric the threads b to b and the threads 6 to e are straight and parallel and the thread 0 is subtantially so but is slightly distorted by being housed partially in the chain formed by the yarn a The threads b 2) and b are sheathed in the contracted chains formed by the yarns a a and a and these chains are connected by the cross stitches or lattice work formed by the yarnsd and d The threads 22 to b? inclusive are each housed partially in contracted sections of a chain on one side thereof, and partially in contracted sections of a chain on the other side thereof; the housing sections of one chain alternating along each elastic thread with housing sections of the other chain. The section of a chain on one thread is connected by one or more chain loops with the next'section of such chain on an adjacent thread, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 2. Hence the respective chains formed by the yarns a to a are bent zigzag by the straightening of the bar C rubber threads. The apexes of the zigzags formed by the chains are so connected with the rubber threads that the apexes of the chains on one side of each rubber are staggered relatively to the apexes of the chains on the other side of each rubber, hence the section embraced between the chains formed by the yarns a to a has a two-way stretch as shown in Fig. 3.

' The parallel substantially straight rubber threads to c 'of the contracted fabric are connected by chains formed by the yarns a to e inclusive similarly to the connection of the rubber threads c to 0 by the chains formed by the yarns a to 11 But the chains formed by the yarns a to (r are connected by the zigzag yarns (Z to d, forming lattices which prevent the transverse stretching of this section of the fabric,

- yarn e is free to form a looped or picot edging along the selvage opposite to the selvage formed by the thread b Such a fabric is suitable for the welt of silk hosiery since its selvage formed by the threads b b and b can be attached by topping or sewing to the weft knitted fabric of a stocking leg and the one-way stretch fabric adjacent to the opposite selvage provides a secure anchorage for a garter fastening.

The relative widths of the one-way stretch sections and two-way stretch sections of the fabric may be varied as desired; the one-way stretch sections may be given greater flexibility by omitting alternate elastic threads therefrom; the fabric may be made entirely of two-way stretch material, and may be divided into sections longitudinally after knitting by pulling one or more of the elastic threads from the two-way stretch fabric since these threads are not knitted by the needles into the chains but merely slip looped into the floats of such chains.

Should it be desired to lock the yarns and threads carried by the bars B, C and D into the chains at spaced intervals along the length thereof, this may be done by an occasional endwise movement of the bars B, C and D while the bar frame is in back of the needles so as to present to the hooks of the needles the yarns and threads carried by the bars B, C and D, as well as the yarns carried by the bar A.

The number of consecutive courses of a chain with which an elastic thread makes a slip loop connection before being shifted to another chain, and the number of chains between the consecutive apexes of a zigzag elastic thread may be widely varied to provide different designs and difierent degrees of stretch in the fabric.

An embodiment of my invention providing a modified form of two-way stretch fabric is illustrated in Figs. 5 to of the drawings. In this embodiment of two-way stretch fabric embodying my invention, the chains are connected in pairs by lattice work formed of inelastic yarns, and a chain of one pair is connected by elastic threads with a chain ofan adjacent pair, each elastic thread being slip looped with only two consecutive courses of a chain before being shifted into engagement with another chain.

In knitting this fabric, as shown in Fig. 5, the bars A, B, C" and D and needles 4!] to 50 may be used similar to those shown in Fig. 4. Inelastic yarns a to a are threaded through consecutively spaced eyes of the bar A, elastic threads 12 to 21 are threaded through consecutively spaced eyes of the bar B, elastic threads 0, e and e are threaded through alternately spaced eyes of bar C, and the inelastic yarns (Z to (1 are threaded through consecutively spaced eyes of bar D and inelastic yarns r1 d and 01 are threadedthrough alternately spaced eyes of bar D.

In the knitting of fabric shown in Figs. 5 to 10, a repeat involves a cycle of six courses of needle loops, and the fabric maybe made of any desired width by multiplying the number of needles, yarns and threads in action to increase the number of wales to a desired extent.

On the first backward swing of the bar frame following the completion of the needle loops of course I30 in Fig, 5, which may be considered as the last needle course of a repeat, each of the bars A, B, C and D occupied its 0 position.

While the bar frame was in back of the en masse movable bank of needles, the bar A was shifted endwise to its I position so as to present inelastic yarns a to 0 to the hooks of the respective needles to permit the formation of the needle loops of course l3| by moving the needles downward to knit the hooked yarn sections through the previously formed needle loops of the course I39.

During the knitting of the needle loops of course IN, the bar frame was swung to the front of the needles, and while in front of the needles the bars B and C were moved endwise to their respective I positions and the bar D was moved endwise to its position II so that, on the next backward swing ofthe bar frame, the bar A yarns were bent over the bar B threads, the bar C threads and the bar D yarns in the path thereof; for example, yarn a was bent over the elastic thread b and over the inelastic yarn d; the inelastic yarn was bent over the elastic thread b and over the inelastic yarns 11 and d the yarn e was bent over the elastic thread 12 and over the inelastic yarns c2 and 11 the yarn 11 was bent over the inelastic yarns d and d; the yarn c4 was bent over the elastic thread 0 and the in elastic yarn 01 the yarn 0. was bent over the inelastic yarn d; the yarn (1. was bent over elastic thread and the inelastic yarn (1 the yarn a was bent over the inelastic yarn d; the yarn a was bent over the elastic thread 0 and the inelastic yarn (1 the yarn n was bent over the inelastic yarn c1 and the yarn a was bent over the inelastic yarn (Z After such backward swing, and while the bar frame was in back of the needles, the bar A was shifted endwise to its il position so as to present the inelastic yarns a to 11 to the hooks of the needles to permit the knittin of the needle loops of course I32 through the previously formed needle loops of the course I3! by the downward movement of p the needles during the forward swing of the bar frame.

During the knitting of the needle loops of course I32 and while the bar frame was swung to the front of the needles, the bars B and D were moved to 0 positions, and the bar C was moved to its II position, so that, on the next backward movement of the bar frame, the bar A yarns were bent over the bar B threads, bar C threads and bar D yarns in the respective paths thereof, viz., the yarn at was bent over the thread b and over the yarn 01 the yarn a was bent over the thread Z1 and the yarns 01 and 03 the yarn (1 was bent over the thread Z1 and over the yarns (Z and (W; the yarn 0. was bent over the yarn (Z and (2 the yarn a was bent over the yarn (2 the yarn e was bent over the crossing thread and yarn 01 the yarn was bent over the yarn (Z the yarn a was bent over the crossing thread 0 and yarn d; the yarn (148 was bent over the yarn d; the yarn a was bent over the crossing thread e 'and yarn (1 and the yarn (1 was bent over the yarn d After this last named backward swing of the bar frame and while it was back of the needle bank, the bar A was shifted endwise to its I position so as to present inelastic yarns a to a to the hooks of the needles to permit the knitting of the needle loops of course I33 through the previously formed needle loops of course I32.

During the knitting of the needle loops of course I33, and after the bar frame had been swung to the front of the needles, the bar B was shifted to its I position, the bar C was shifted to a position three steps to the right of its 0 position, and which is herein designated as position III, and the bar D was shifted to its II position.

On the backward swing of the bar fram following the completion of the needle loops of the course I33 the yarn (1 was bent over the yarn (Z the yarn a was bent over the thread 0 and yarn (Z the yarn a was bent over the thread 0 and yarn d; the yarn a was bent over the thread 0 and yarn 01 and the yarns a a, a, (1 a, a, and 0: were bent over the same yarns and threads that they were bent over respectively by the backward swin following the knitting of the needle loops of course I3 I,

After the last named back swing, and while the bar frame was at the back of the needles, the bar A was moved endwise to its I) position, so as to present the inelastic yarns a to a to the hooks of the needles to permit the knitting of the needle loops of the course I33 through the previously formed needle loops of course I33. During the knitting of the needle loops of course I34, and after the bar frame had been swung to the front of the needles, the bars B and D were moved endwise to their I) positions and the bar C was moved endwise to its II position. Hence, on the next backward movement of the bar frame, the yarn (L45 was bent over the yarn (1 the yarn (1 was bent over the thread e and the yarn (2 the yarn at was bent over the yarn d; the yarn (1 was bent over the thread 0 and the yarn d; the yarn 11 was bent over the yarn 02 the yarn a was bent over the thread 0 and yarn i1 and the yarns a to a were bent over the same threads and yarns as they were bent over during the backward swing following the knitting of the needle loops of course I32.

Following this last backward swing, and while the bar frame is at the rear of the needles, the bar A is moved endwise to its I position to present the inelastic yarns a to 11 to the hooks of the needles to permit the knitting of the needle loops of the course I35 through the previously formed needle loops of the course I34.

During the knitting of the needle loops of course I35, and after the bar framehad been swung to the front of the needles, the bar B was moved to its position I, the bar C was moved to its position I, and the bar D was moved to its position II. Hence upon the next backward swing of the bar frame the yarn was bent over the crossed thread 0 and yarn (1 but these were in reverse positions from that occupied by them when crossed by the yarn 0, in course I32; the yarn d was bent over the yarn (Z the yarn a was bent over the crossed thread 0 and yarn d, but these were in reverse positions from those occupied by them when crossed by the yarn or" in course I32; the yarn a was bent over the yarn It; the yarn was bent over the crossed thread 0 and yarn (I but these were in reverse positions from those occupied by them when crossed by the yarn (1, in course I32;'the yarn a was bent over the yarn (1 and the yarns n to a were bent over the same threads and yarns that they were respectively bent over' on the backward swing following the knitting of the needle loops of course I33.

After the last backward swing, and while the bar frame was in back of the bank of needles, the bar A was shifted to its 0 position so as to present to the, hooks of the needles the yarns a to 11 to permit the knitting of the needle loops of the course I33 through the needle loops of the previously formed course I35. During the knitting of the needle loops of course I36 and while the bar frame was in front of the needles, the bars B, C and D were all shifted to their 0 positions which they occupied at the end of the knitting of the needle loops of course I30 and, on the next backward swing of the bar frame, the yarn a was bent over the thread 0 and the yarn (Z the yarn (1 was bent over the yarn (1 the yarn 0: was bent over the thread C and the yarn (1 the yarn (1 was bent over the yarn d; the yarn (148 was bent over the thread 0 and the yarn d; the yarn a was bent over the yarn (1 the yarn a was bent over the yarn c1 and the yarns 11 to (1 were bent respectively over the same threads and yarns that they were respectively bent over on the backward swing following the completion of the knitting of the needle loops of course I34.

The course I36 is a repetition of the course I33 and the continued knitting of the fabricwill be a repetition of the sequence of needle loop formations of the yarns a to (1 and of the slip loops engagement of the other threads and yarns by the floats connecting the needle loops of one course with the needle loops of the next course, as hereinbefore described.

During all of the knitting of the fabric, the yarns and threads threaded through the bars are held under tension; the bar B'threa'ds and bar C threads being stretched nearly to their limits, and the bar 13 threads being under slightly greater tension than the bar 0' threads. I The bar B threads are engaged by a greater number of consecutive loops of the same chain than are the bar C threads and hence the bar C threads have the greater freedom to contract than the bar B threads. When the tension is released, the contractions of the bar B threads and bar C threads contract the respective chains to the same lengths and form a flat fabric, as. shown in Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive.

As indicated in these figures, the contraction of the rubber threads causes them to lie in parallel straight rows anddistorts the chains into the form of zigzag rows between the elastic threads. Each contracted rubber thread is connected with a contracted rubber thread on each side thereof by knitted chains. The points of connection between a contracted elastic thread and a knitted chain on one side thereof are staggered relative to the points of connection of such thread with the knitted chain on the opposite side thereof and each contracted elastic thread has a chain sinuously connected therewith and connected by latticed threads with a chain which zigzags back and forth between points of connection with two adjacent contracted elastic threads. For instance, when the elastic threads of the fabric section shown in Figure are contracted to form parallel straight rows, the clastic thread 0 has the chain formed by the yarn a connected therewith at spaced points, has the chain formed by the yarn a sinuously bent along such thread from side to side thereof, and is connected with the thread 0 by the chain formed by the yarn or which is bent zigzag between the threads 0 and 0 the chain formed by the yarn or being connected with the chain formed by the yarn 11 by the lattice work formed by the yarn d Since the only connection between the chains formed from the yarns 11 a and 11 and the chains to the right thereof is through the elastic threads 0 e and 0 the fabric will readily stretch longitudinally and laterally, due to the stretching of the elastic threads 0, c and e and the spacing of the points of connection thereof with the respective chains, as shown in Fig. 9.

When the threads 17 to Z1 contract, they are sheathed in the respective chains formed by the yarns (1 to 0., and these chains are transversely connected by the inelastic yarns 11 and hence there is no lateral stretch between these chains, but longitudinal stretching of the rubber threads is permitted by the extension of the chains to the original form in which they were knitted.

It will, of course, be understood that if a oneway stretch garter clasp section is desired at the opposite side of the fabric from the selvage formed by the chain knitted from the yarn a a section may be knitted in which all the chains are connected with one another by yarns laid in similarly to the yarn d to 12 Fabric made in accordance with my invention may be sewed or topped on to a weft knitted hosiery fabric as shown in Figures 7 and to provide a welt above the knee which will stretch laterally and circumferentially, as shown in Fig. 9, to absorb the stresses incident to the bending of the knee when the welt is held by a supporter clasp.

. It will therefore be seen that my invention provides open-work elastic fabrics having, when slack and flat, spaced parallel rows of substantially straight elastic threads which are connected by inelastic yarns at spaced points along their lengths, so that the yarns on opposite sides of an elastic thread are connected therewith at staggered points, and the points at which an elastic thread is connected with inelastic yarn on one side thereof are free from any connection with inelastic yarn on the opposite side thereof. The connecting inelastic yarns are knitted into stretchable warp chains, through the floats of which the elastic threads may slide. Preferably the spacing between the points of engagement between an elastic thread and the apexes of a zigzag chain on one side thereof approximates the distance between adjacent rows of elastic thread and the points of connection between an elastic thread and the chains connected therewith are sufficiently spaced to .permit free stretching of the elastic.

My improved fabric may be given a pico finish along each edge thereof by forming chain bights along the elastic threads at opposite edges of the fabric.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a weft knitted fabric of non-elastic yarns, of a warp knitted fabric containing non-elastic yarns and having an edge connected with said first named fabric, said warp knitted fabric having elastic threads interlaced therein and imparting a one-way stretch to the edge and a two-way streetch to the body thereof.

2. An elastic fabric comprising a body section having a two-way stretch and an edge section having a one-way stretch, and a sinuous knitted chain having alternate bights connected with an edge of said fabric to form a loopd edging.

3. An elastic fabric comprising a body section having a two-way stretch and an edge section having only a one-way stretch, both of said sections comprising parallel elastic threads and knitted chains, and a sinuous knitted chain having alternate bights connected with an edge of said fabric to form a looped edging.

4. A warp knit fabric comprising warp knit chains and chain-connecting yarns each of which is first looped around a float of one of said chains, then around a float of another of said chains, and then around a float of the chain in which it was first looped each looping of each chain connecting yarn being in a course different from the course in which the other loopings thereof occur, said chains and yarns forming hexagonal openings when said fabric is laterally stretched.

5. A warp knit fabric comprising a plurality of walewise extending parallel chains forming course-wise extending rows of needle loops, the needle loops of each course-wise row being connected by floats with corresponding needle loops of the next course-wise row, and serpentine chainconnecting yarns each having reversely disposed bights spaced along its length and substantially straight sections between said bights, straight sections aforesaid of each yarn being engaged between the float and needle loop in one course of one chain and then between a float and needle loop of a subsequent course of another chain, and all of the yarn sections connecting a course of one chain with a subsequent course of another chain being substantially parallel with one another.

6. An elastic warp knit fabric having a twoway stretch and comprising warp knit chains of inelastic yarns and elastic threads each of which is first looped in one of said chains, then in another of said chains, and then in the chain in which it was first looped, said chains and threads forming hexagonal openings when said fabric is laterally stretched.

7. An elastic fabric comprising rows of parallel straight elastic threads and rows of chains zigzagging back and forth from one to another of such straight threads, the chain lying on one side of a thread having apeXes connected with such thread at pointsintermediate the points: of connection with such thread of the apexes of the chain lying on the opposite side of the thread.

8. An elastic fabric comprising rows of straight parallel elastic threads and rows of knitted chains zigzagging back and forth from thread to thread and having apexes connected with said threads.

9. An elastic fabric having a body section with a two-way stretch comprising elastic threads and knitted chains and an edge section with a oneway stretch only comprising elastic threads and knitted chains.

10. An elastic fabric comprising a plurality of knitted chains, lattice stitches connecting certain of said. chains, parallel straight elastic threads covered continuously by certain of said chains. and parallel straight elastic threads connected by other of said chains zigzagging from one to another thereof.

11. An elastic fabric comprising pair of knitted chains connected by lattice threads, said chains being bent zigzag to form spaced apexes,

and elastic threads each laced through the apexes of a pair of chains in alternation.

a 12. An elastic fabric having a two-way stretch and comprising rows of elastic thread havin spaces between them, a plurality of chains in. each of said spaces, 'one chain in each space being connected with both rows of elastic on the opposite sides of said space, and lattice stitches connecting with one another the chains in each space.

13. An elastic fabric having two-way stretch and comprising when flat and slack a plurality of rows of straight elastic thread with spaces between them, a zigzag chain in each of said spaces and having apexes connected with the elastic on the opposite sides of the space, the zigzag of the chain in one space being staggered relative to the zagzag of the chain in an adjacent space and apexes of adjacent chains being connected with the row of elastic between them at spaced distances from one another along said elastic thread.

14. An elastic fabric having a section with a two-way stretch and a section stretchable in one direction only and comprising, when slack, parallel rows of substantially straight elastic threads with spaces between them, chains circumcluding some of the rows aforesaid from end to end thereof, lattice stitches connecting the chains aforesaid, and chains lying in the spaces between others of the elastic threads aforesaid and con nected therewith at spaced distances along the same.

15. A two-way stretch elastic fabric having, under maximum stretch, parallel rows formed of inelastic yarns, parallel rows of zigzag-elastic threads connecting said yarns, the zigzag threads on opposite sides of each yarn having apexes connected with such yarn in alternating and spaced relation to one another, and said fabric when slack having parallel substantially straight rows ofelastic threads and parallel rows of zigzag inelastic yarns connecting the rows of elastic threads, the zizag rows of inelastic yarns on opposite sides of each elastic thread having apexes connected with such elastic thread in alternating and spaced relation to one another.

16. A warp knit elastic fabric having a two-way stretch and comprising parallel elastic threads spaced by parallel Warp knit chains, the adjacent elastic threads being straight when the fabric is slack, and said chains having sections devoid of elastic threads extending crosswise between said parallel threads when the fabric is slack.

.17. The method of knitting warp-knit fabric from a set of warp-chain yarns and a set of chainconnecting yarns on a bank of en masse movable hooked needles which includes moving the warpchain yarns and chain-connecting yarns back and forth between the front and back of the needle bank, moving the warp-chain yarns alternately in opposite directions endwise of the needle bank onv alternate movements thereof to the back of the needle bank, each endwise movement presenting the warp-chain yarns to the needle hooks, moving the warp-chain yarns to the front of the needle bank and moving the needle bank to knit the warp-chain yarns into a course of needle loops after each endwise movement of such warpchain yarns, the needle loops formed from each warp-chain yarn forming a chain, and the terminus of the needle loop of one course of a chain being connected by a float with the beginning of the next needle loop of such chain, and moving said chain-connecting yarns endwise of the needle bank and across said warp-chain yarns when the latter are in front of the needle bank, the successive endwise movements of each chainconnecting yarn being sometimes in opposite directions and across sequentialsections of the same warp-chain yarn, and being sometimes step by step in the same direction and across successive sections of different warp-chain yarns, said chain-connecting yarns being thereby sometimes engaged by successive floats of the same chain and at other times by floats of successive courses of different chains.

18. The method of knitting elastic fabric having a two-way stretch which includes warp knitting a plurality of spaced parallel chains of loops under tension and interlacing elastic yarn from a loop in a course of one chain to a loop in a succeeding course of a different chain by passing a stretched elastic thread back and forth between chains aforesaid and forming a running connection between such thread and the respective chains during the knitting thereof.

19. The method of knitting elastic fabric having a two-way stretch which includes knitting a plurality of tensioned spaced parallel chains each comprising inelastic yarn warp knitted into courses of needle loops and floats connecting the terminus of the needle loop of one course With the beginning of the needle loop of the next course, and interlacing elastic yarn from a loop in a course of one chain to a loop in a succeeding course of a different chain by passing a stretched elastic thread back and forth between chains aforesaid and looping the floats of different chains over said stretched thread between the knitting of courses of needle loops.

20. The methodof knitting an elastic fabric having a two-way stretch from a set of inelastic yarns and a set of elastic threads on a bank of en masse movable hooked needles which includes moving the yarns and threads back and forth between the front and back of the needle bank, moving the yarns alternately in opposite directions endwise of the needle bank on alternate movements thereof to the back of the needle bank, each endwise movement presenting the yarns to the needle hooks, moving the yarns to the front of the needle bank and moving the needle bank to knit the yarns into a course of needle loops after each endwise movement of such yarns, the needle loops formed from each yarn forming a chain, and the terminus of the needle loop of one course of a chain being connected by a float with the beginning of the next needle loop of such chain, and moving said elastic threads while stretched endwise of the needle bank and across 'said yarns when the latter are in front of the needle bank, the successive endwise movements of each thread being sometimes in opposite directions and across sequential sections of the same yarn, and being sometimes in the same direction and across successive sections of different yarns, said stretched threads being thereby sometimes engaged by sue;-

17 cessive floats of the same chain and at other times by floats of different chains.

21. In the making of warp fabric from two sets of ends,one set being composed of elastic yarns and the other set being composed of substantially inelastic yarns, the steps which include simultaneously knitting a set of ends to form a course of needle loops and floats in a plurality of spaced chains and interlacing said elastic threads respectively from a loop in a course of one chainto a loop in a succeeding course of a different chain by looping ends of said elastic set around floats of the respective chains formed by the ends of the first set, looping ends of the second set around floats subsequently formed in chains aforesaid laterally spaced from the chains to which they were respectively originally looped, and looping ends of the second set around floats of the chains in which they were originally looped, such last named floats having been formed subsequently to the second looping of said second ends.

22. In the making of warp fabric from two sets of ends, one set comprising stretchable yarns the steps which include knitting ends of a first set to form a course of needle loops in a plurality of spaced chains; laying, over respective ends of a second set of ends, respective ends of said first set to form floats of said first course, and knitting a second course ofloops; thereafter laying, over the respective stretched ends of the second set, floats of the second formed course of loops in chains laterally spaced from the first chains to which the ends of the second set were originally respectively connected and forming a new course of loops; laying, over the respective stretched ends of the second set, floats of the third course of 18 loops in chains further laterally spaced from the first chains to which the respective ends of the second set were originally respectively connected and forming a new course of loops; laying, over' the respective stretched ends of the second set, floats of the last namedcourse in the chains with which the ends of the second set were second connected and forming a new course of loops; and laying, over the respective ends of the second set, floats of the last mentioned course in chains with which the ends of the second set were first connected and forming a new course of loops.

23. In the knitting of Warp fabric from a plurality of sets of ends one of which comprises elastic threads, the steps which include knitting inelastic ends of one set into spaced parallel chains each composed of needle loops and floats, and interlacing said elastic threads respectively from a loop in a course of one chain to a loop in a succeeding course in a different chain by laying stretched elastic ends of said elastic set back and the needle loops and floats of the last named chains respectively.

ALFRED L. WAGLER. 

